Purpose: This study aims to examine the application of omnichannel selling and customer engagement in achieving operational excellence within the US pharmaceutical industry, with a focus on the adoption of a project-based lean approach. Approach: A quantitative research design was employed, using a standardized questionnaire completed by 383 professionals from the US pharmaceutical industry. Data analysis was conducted using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to assess the relationships between omnichannel selling, customer engagement, and operational excellence. Results: The results indicate that customer engagement has a significant positive impact on operational excellence (β = 0.425, p-value = 0.000). Additionally, the implementation of omnichannel marketing positively influences both customer engagement (β = 0.448, p-value = 0.000) and operational excellence (β = 0.334, p-value = 0.000). The study found that the impact of implementing a project-driven lean framework on operational excellence was moderate. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of customer engagement in enhancing operational efficiency and compliance within the pharmaceutical sector. Further research is recommended to explore how integrating digital transformation mechanisms can automate marketing functions and improve operational performance.
Jennifer Joel Joseph (Sun,) studied this question.